The Pittsburgh Buddhist Temple and the Cleveland Buddhist Temple in the United States have extended generous financial and humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
With the aim of supporting affected communities, the two temples, in coordination with the Sri Lankan Embassy in the United States, mobilised the Sri Lankan donor community under the leadership of the Chief Incumbent, Venerable Dr. Surakkulame Pemarathana Thero, together with the monks of the monasteries.
Accordingly, the Pittsburgh and Cleveland Buddhist Temples donated a total of US$10,500 for relief efforts. Of this amount, US$5,000 was contributed to the Sri Lankan Embassy’s relief fund, while the Cleveland Buddhist Temple donated US$5,500 directly to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Fund.
In addition, the Pittsburgh Buddhist Temple has contributed a further US$3,584 to support a project to clean and renovate drinking water wells, implemented by the Rotary Club of Sri Lanka, addressing a critical post-disaster need in affected areas.
Beyond financial assistance, both temples have also launched a programme to collect essential items for families impacted by the cyclone, which will be shipped to Sri Lanka. The support provided by DP Distributing Enterprises LLC for this initiative has been gratefully acknowledged and appreciated.
These efforts highlight the strong commitment of the Sri Lankan Buddhist community in the United States to stand in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka during times of national hardship.
